Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Vivienne Isebor. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Vivienne, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
Sometimes I get lost in my thoughts and ruminate about whether or not I have wasted my years and should have focused on my creative craft. I compare myself, meticulously remembering people I shared stages with and how amazing they are doing in their journey. I am so proud and happy for them, and then that shifts into a disappointment in myself. At college when you choose your degree options it feels like a pretty unsupported decision for such a huge life decision. I remember mulling between Psychology and Music, and having what felt like a revelation: I can still do music while studying Psychology and get an accredited degree, but I can’t do Music and do Psychology. So I focused my late teens and early 20s on the field of mental health. On bad days when my critical voice is loud and unforgiving I do wish I chose music and I wonder where my life would be if I had. But on good days when I feel grounded and connected to my journey I realise all the things I learnt along the way have been priceless to me becoming the person I am. Hindsight is said to be 20/20 but in fact, its lens is blurred. The lives I got to connect with during my time as a nursing assistant, the people I got to walk with when I worked as a psychotherapist, the masters I got to study and the community of neurodivergent Black folk I have the privilege of supporting are things that make my life feels worth it. Now that It have come to a place of reflection at age 30 I feel like I can use all the things I love to make a living, and it comes from a place of stability and contentment. I don’t know who I would have been if I chose Music all those years ago, but I do know who I am today and that person was worth waiting for. There is no deadline on your dreams.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My love for music started at a young age, sneaking CDs of Ella Fitzgerald into my mums car and being part of the youth choir was where my seed was planted. I continued singing in Gospel Choirs right up to my first year of university where I was inspired by the amount of musicians and creatives studying music full time. I was in awe (and also jealous) and decided to take my passion for music seriously.
Since then I have released two independent pieces of work and organised two sold out launch party events holding over 100 people.
I have performed at numerous venues in London including The Primo Bar, Piano bar Soho, Westfield, The Roundhouse, Albany Theatre, Tristan Bates, Park Theatre, Shaw Theatre, Broadway Theatre Barking, Battersea Arts Centre and many more. As well as this I have performed abroad in countries such as Gambia, Jamaica, Thailand and Japan.
I have done courses at the Roundhouse exploring solo performance which led me to create and debut a one-man short show exploring the intersectional experience of living as a Black disabled Woman in London through movement, acting, singing and music.
I also held residencies in restaurants and community spaces hosting regular open mics at venues such as All Nations Vegan House in East London and Art Town.
I also organise events for myself and other upcoming artists to platform their talent in a space that appreciates the craft of every artist, with events titled ‘The Montage – Black Love Edition’ at The Library – Private members club and ‘Nights of Soul’ at Piano Bar Smithfield. The beauty of these events is all creative mediums are welcome, and acts were supported to work with with a full band to turn their ideas into a reality. This included free rehearsals and direction for emerging artists with amazing talent but little experience on the stage. My intention with my open mics is to foster a space for safe sharing and confidence building where artists can reconnect to the love of why they create and feel encouraged in their journey.
Between my performing and open mics, I also ran creative workshops for young people with a special focus on Black British History, using poetry, drama and music to tell untold stories of our past.
My most recent release and proudest musical achievement – Elemental (2019) was launched in East London to a crowd of over 60 people. I combined my love for live music, spoken word, acting and immersive theatre including crowd and sensory engagement throughout. I also added elements of culture sharing customs of my Igbo heritage, Black British identity and spirituality.
Following this, I featured in The Voice 2020 and was chosen by the renowned Tom Jones to join his team to the Battle Stages.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I don’t think anything beats the stage for me. On a selfish level, I feel like it is a form of escapism. It is a way to live in a story for a brief moment and be free. Coupled with the fact that showing up can touch an audience, people can feel moved, inspired, education, empowered, those things make every performance feel like a success. Even if it is just one person who felt something, that is enough for me.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Right now! I am currently on a sabbatical from my role as a psychotherapist for the NHS. The journey of watering all my passions slowly took its toll on my body and mind and at the start of this year I was on the ropes. I had to make a big shift, something has to give. So I reviewed my savings and decided to take a year out of work to rest and recover from burn out. Doing that for me, meant also reconnecting with what brings me life and joy, and that is my creativity. So I took some time to travel for 2 months and upon returning have been pouring into my creative expression. I have going back to acting classes and looking at schools to attend, I have started writing again, working with producers, planning more open mics and signed up for community classes to learn an instrument. It has also given me more time to pour into my community work with ADHD Babes, which has been extremely successful so far. We have finally been able to secure funding for events and projects meaning I can pay myself for the time after volunteering for two and a half years. Restructuring my day without the pressure of a 9-5 and with the financial backing of my savings has allowed me to SLOW DOWN, I am relearning my relationship with productivity and rethinking how I want to spend my time making money to sustain myself. This approach has been scary, but it feels like it brings me closer to living my life on my terms, in a way that aligns with my purpose. It has also made me rethink how I balance me the person and me the producing person. I am shifting away from the mindset of always feeling like I need to be working and doing, and slowing down, trying to enjoy simply being a live more and the nap ministry book is really helping me in that!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/vvnsings
- Instagram: https://linktr.ee/vvnlinks
- Facebook: https://linktr.ee/vvnlinks
- Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/vvnlinks
- Twitter: https://linktr.ee/vvnlinks
- Youtube: https://linktr.ee/vvnlinks
Image Credits
Sarpong David Mensah